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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
and is a solid choice for critical listening with very good overall sound quality and a detachable cable. However, they lack wireless functionality, a built-in microphone, and their comfort is not as highly rated, which may be an issue for long sessions. The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones are premium priced but offer best-in-class comfort, advanced features like active noise cancelling, wireless and wired options with low latency, and are sweatproof. They also have a foldable design for portability, and support for AAC and AptX Adaptive codecs, which enhance wireless audio quality. If budget is a concern and you primarily listen at home or in a studio, the Audio Technicas are a great pick; but if you desire top-tier comfort, portability, and noise cancellation for a variety of environments including travel and exercise, the Bose is the more versatile option. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Audio Technica ATH M40X
- The Audio Technica ATH M40X has no clear advantages over the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones.
Advantages of the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones
- Excellent for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
- Best in class for air travel
Key differences
Gaming
7.0
9.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for gaming, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is good.
Phone Calls
3.3
5.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones and Audio Technica ATH M40X are both poor for phone calls, though the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.1
6.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.3
9.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for noise reduction, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
Battery
N/A
29.0 Hours
The Audio Technica ATH M40X does not have a battery. The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has 29 hours of battery life.
Cost
$99
$429
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Audio Technica ATH M40X has a price of $99 and the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones costs $429.
Build Quality
8.2
9.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has excellent build quality, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
8.1
8.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones and Audio Technica ATH M40X are both very good for music.
TV and Video
8.7
9.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones to be excellent for TV and video, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is very good.
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How the Audio Technica ATH M40X and the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audio Technica ATH M40X | Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$99 | $429 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audio Technica | Bose | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2014 | November 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.1/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.3/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 29 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.3 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 7.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.2/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 245 Grams | 255 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Audio Technica ATH M40X
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Lily Katz | August 2023
"If you were to pick one headset to fill all of your needs, the ATH-M40x is a great buy with its sub-$100 price tag, pleasant sound quality, and accessories. Whether you need to use it for live monitoring, a midnight editing session, or to underscore a campus walk, the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x is a great companion."
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Christian Thomas | January 2024
"The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are a credible step up from previous Bose ANC headphones, and they're built to hang tough with the competition for years into the future. No waterproofing is a bit of a letdown, but these headphones have the technical chops to make most quite happy."
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About Audio Technica
Audio Technica is a 60-year-old, Japan-based, professional audio equipment manufacturer. They started off making phonograph cartridges and have expanded their scope of products ever since to include extremely popular models of microphones and headphones. They have been the official audio equipment supplier of several editions of the Summer and Winter Olympics and every edition of the Grammy Awards since 1998.
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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